Humanities Class

Students in 7th and 8th Grades delve into the Humanities through a social, historical, and cultural perspective. Social leadership and citizenship are stressed in subject areas such as Language Arts, Social Sciences, Fine Arts, and Religion. This academic opportunity helps the students prepare for high school literature, and provides a chance for the exploration of multiple talents within each student.

During their two years in the ZOOM Humanities Classes the students read plays by William Shakespeare such as  Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, and Hamlet. The universal themes of loyalty, love, friendship, humor, discipline, respect, justice, courage, wisdom, forgiveness, honesty, and understanding can be seen during the analysis and discussion of the events of the play.  Students also investigate the influence that Queen Elizabeth I had on the Fine Arts during the English Renaissance. Thanks to funding from the Gesu P.T.O.,  the Great Lakes Theatre Festival will present a week-long school residency at Gesu based on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet from February 19-22, 2008.  

There is a new schedule for Humanities Classes in the first semester. There will be three homeroom rotations of six weeks each.  On Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, one 7th grade homeroom and one 8th grade homeroom will meet for class in the ZOOM Room with Mrs. Sexton.
Alternating with week 1 and week 2:       
Rooms 208 and 211 will have class from 8/27/07-10/3/07. 
Rooms 209 and 212 will meet from 10/8/07-11/14/07.  
Rooms 210 and 213 will have class from 11/19/07-1/16/08.                                  

            ZOOM Class - Grades 7 & 8 HUMANITIES in the ZOOM Room-201     

Overview for 2007-2008
     Course work in Humanities includes the study of people from a cultural, social and historical perspective. Social leadership and citizenship are emphasized through the use of subject areas such as Language Arts, Religion, 
Social Sciences, Fine Arts, and Drama.  In this ZOOM Class, 7th and 8th Graders are introduced to the Renaissance Period in relation to Queen Elizabeth I, ruler of England and to the Fine Arts that she supported. The students become acquainted with the "man for all time" – William Shakespeare, by reading one of his tragedies or comedies. Students have opportunities to participate in the Socratic Seminar method of discussion, dramatizations, and various writing experiences. This academic class helps in preparing for high school literature, and provides a chance for more exploration in the multiple intelligences of each student. 

Grades
    Grades for each six-week rotation are compiled from class preparation and participation, effort, quizzes and tests, notes and other written work, discussion sessions and a project.  Grades will appear on the website as stated in the parent information. All assignments, quizzes, tests, class work, and bonus opportunities are listed individually.

Class Requirements
    Each student must come to class ready to be an active participant. This includes the use of listening skills as well as the sharing of ideas. Each student is responsible for his/her own numbered text. It must be brought to class each day along with the Humanities folder and a one-subject, large spiral notebook.  Every student is required to complete the assigned homework each day and to be prepared for all classwork.  If an assignment is not completed, the student should plan to stay after school the next day for help in that assignment's completion.  

    If a student is absent, he/ she should come to the ZOOM Room on the day she/he returns to school in order to check for missing work and to turn in any work that was due on the date of the absence. He/she may then schedule a time for discussion of any questions and any make-up assessments/work. If the absence is for any event other than illness, assignments are due on or before the due date that was assigned.

    All students must use blue or black ballpoint pen only. Please do not bring or use whiteout, gel pens, Sharpies or other types of pens for written work. If there is a mistake in written work, students should put ONE line through it and add parentheses around it. If there are more than 3 errors, the work will have to be done again. The use of correct grammar is expected at this level. Everyone wants to be proud of a finished product.  The Six Traits Writing Program has been in place across the grade levels for several years and is well known by the 7th and 8th Graders.

Humanities Notes
    Each student's class notes must use a one-subject, large spiral notebook as stated on the supply list for grades 7 & 8.  Students may use manuscript or cursive styles (be consistent), but all writing must be legible, neat and written in blue or black ball point pen. Please write on one side of the page only for easier reading and review.  As the class reads Shakespeare's play, each student will be required to take  notes each day.  The notes must be labeled by Act and Scene and be written in a consistent form - either bulleted lists or in complete sentences, and  must be in the student’s own words. Notes may not be taken from the Internet or other resources.  There should be notes about each character who appears in the scene.  Each student will begin this note-taking in class.

More Information
    Throughout the class sessions, handouts will be distributed and specific assignments are given that will allow students to share their knowledge and talents with others. Each student should keep all work done during the six- week period in the Humanities folder in an orderly fashion to use as tools for review.  There are periodic after-school review sessions  as the class rotation progresses. This experience in Language Arts benefits all students who are actively engaged in class.

For information, please contact Jean Ann Sexton, M.Ed.,  Gifted/Enrichment Teacher